China has elevated the stature of President Xi Jinping and cemented his grip on power by including his name and political ideology in the Communist Party constitution.

At the end of a pivotal twice-a-decade meeting, party delegates voted unanimously Tuesday to make "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" a guiding principle for the party.

The move puts Xi on par with Chairman Mao Zedong who founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, who oversaw China's opening up to the world. China's previous two presidents haven't had their ideas enshrined in the constitution in this way.

"Xi Jinping now has an institutional guarantee of support. He can be emperor for life -- staying in power as long as his health allows," said Willy Lam, an adjunct professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong's Center for China Studies.

Xi looks set to emerge from the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China stronger than ever, both domestically and on the international stage.

At home, Xi has taken down senior leaders in his anti-corruption drive, launched an unprecedented crackdown on free speech, and radically overhauled the two-million strong People's Liberation Army, the world's largest fighting force.

Globally, the world will now likely see China continue to step into a global leadership vacuum as the US turns inward under President Donald Trump.

As Xi presided over the closing session in the Great Hall of the People, more than 2,200 delegates raised their hands in unison to approve the party charter amendments, with staffers announcing "meiyou" ("none") to indicate the lack of dissenting or abstaining votes.